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Hailey Van Lith has made a swift return to professional basketball, joining the Connecticut Sun just days after being released.
Known for her high school prowess and impressive college career, Van Lith faced an unexpected turn when the Chicago Sky waived her following her debut season. She had been the 11th overall pick in the 2025 Draft and played nine games before the surprising decision came down last Thursday.
Despite this setback, Van Lith quickly secured her spot with the Connecticut Sun, who currently hold a 2-8 record, through a developmental contract. This new role gives her a fresh opportunity to prove her skills.
The concept of developmental players is a recent addition to the WNBA, resembling the NBA’s model of two-way players to some degree. These players earn the lowest salaries on the roster and are capped at 50 regular season appearances, without playoff eligibility.
Two-way players have the smallest salaries on an NBA roster and are limited to 50 appearances — none in the playoffs.
Developmental players are limited to playing 12 games, or 25 percent of the now 48-game WNBA season.
This will not include the nine games Van Lith has already played, since she was on a standard contract at the time.
Van Lith averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists per game during her nine appearances with the Sun, shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and a blistering 47.1 percent from deep.
Van Lith even started three contests for the Sun, notably erupting for a season-best and career-high 17 points in her first WNBA start against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
In the game, played on May 15, she ended the night shooting 7-for-11 and also recording four assists.
Van Lith was regarded as one of the top high school prospects of the 2020 class, which was also headlined by Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Caitlin Clark, and Kamilla Cardoso.
After a three-year stint at Louisville, Van Lith played one season at LSU with Reese, where they fell to Clark and Iowa in the Elite 8.
Van Lith spent her fifth and final college season at TCU, averaging 17.9 points and 5.4 assists per game.
One fan said she “doesn’t get it, but whatever.”
Another noted that she has “played better” than most of the Sun, who have the second-worst record in the W.
This season is also going to be the Sun’s last, as the team is set to relocate to Houston for the 2027 season.
Houston had the Comets, who dissolved after the 2008 season, as one of the original WNBA franchises when the league launched 30 years ago.
The Comets won the WNBA’s first four titles from 1997-2000.